Fun photos – Petfinderhttps://www.petfinder.com
Pet adoption: Want a dog or cat? Adopt a pet on PetfinderFri, 09 Dec 2016 17:43:57 +0000en-UShourly111 shelter pets practiced their Valentine’s Day hugshttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2014/02/11-shelter-pets-practicing-their-valentines-day-hugs/
Mon, 03 Feb 2014 19:00:42 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=31660Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, the Petfinder Foundation asked its friends from shelters and rescues across the country for pictures of their adoptable pets being hugged! Our favorite photos, below, come from Petfinder members that received photography equipment grants and training through the One Picture Saves a …

]]>Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, the Petfinder Foundation asked its friends from shelters and rescues across the country for pictures of their adoptable pets being hugged! Our favorite photos, below, come from Petfinder members that received photography equipment grants and training through the One Picture Saves a Life program.

1. Walking shelter dogs during the winter in East Hanover, N.J., can be frigid, but Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter volunteer Kathy Wieczorek warms it up by fitting in snuggle time with Sky. The shelter saved this 2-year-old Chihuahua, who was born with one “baby eye” that’s smaller than the other, from an overcrowded shelter in the South, and now all she wants is to be in her own home. (Learn more about adopting Sky.)

2. Chicago Cat Rescue saved Edelweiss and her brother around Christmas, when the young kittens were wandering outside an abandoned apartment building in freezing temperatures. Foster mom and Chicago Cat Rescue founder Julie Adams says little Edelweiss loves playing with her sparkly pink toy, chasing her brother and getting as many cuddles as she can. (Learn more about adopting Edelweiss.)

Edelweiss, snuggling with his foster mom Julie Adams, is up for adoption at Chicago Cat Rescue. (Photo: Chicago Cat Rescue)

3. Brian the Bantam rooster proves that pets don’t have to be a dog or a cat to be snuggled. After waiting more than 250 days with his friends at the Humane Society of Southern Arizona in Tucson, this picture helped him finally find a home with a chicken enthusiast in Sierra Vista, Ariz.!

4. After growing up as an outside-only dog who did not get much attention from her first family, Midnight is in good hands with the In The Arms Of Angels of Tucson, Ariz. Her foster family says she quickly learned house training and that she is a happy girl is who loves to cuddle and give hugs and kisses. (Learn more about adopting Midnight.)

5. After dutifully nursing her litter of puppies in foster care, Bella, a 3-year-old Beagle, is back with The Animal Foundation of Las Vegas and Henderson, Nev. Since she has finished the work of raising little ones, this small, sweet and now-spayed girl would love to relax in a home of her own. (Learn more about adopting Bella by contacting The Animal Foundation.)

Bella, an adoptable Beagle, poses with her friends from The Animal Foundation in Henderson, Nev. (Photo: The Animal Foundation)

6. Having just three legs doesn’t slow down Huggie Bear, who’s waiting for his forever home at Victoria Trap Neuter Return in Victoria, Tex. He came to the organization with a badly mangled leg that had been caught in a car’s fan belt. Now he’s healed and is ready to begin his life with a family! (Learn about adopting Huggie Bear.)

Roman gets plenty of loving while he waits at Lifeline for Pets in Monrovia, Calif. (Photo: Lifeline for Pets)

9. Seven-year-old Olive endured a rough past, and she has the scars to prove it. One of eight dogs who were transferred to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona in Tucson from a Missouri dog-fighting raid, only Olive was suspected of being used for fighting. Olive is sweet as can be with people, but she needs to be an only dog. Olive is searching for the chance to enjoy her senior years on the couch and prove to everyone that she’s a lover — not a fighter. (Learn more about adopting Olive by contacting the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.)

10. A sociable sweetheart, Hope is waiting at Chicago Cat Rescue, where she arrived a very injured city street cat. Her health has recovered, she loves other cats and dogs, and she performs adorably acrobatic leaps and landings on a daily basis! (Learn more about adopting Hope.)

11. Volunteer photographer Debra Jones from Frank Barchard Memorial Shelter in Wolfe City, Tex., tells us that Irish is a 1-year-old Border Collie mix who is very timid and just needed a hug. He was grateful to get one from Jody McIntier, the shelter’s founder. Could you be the one to hug Irish forever? (Contact Frank Barchard Memorial Shelter for more information about adopting Irish.)

]]>5 Life Lessons Grumpy Cat Taught Mehttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/11/5-life-lessons-grumpy-cat-taught/
Wed, 27 Nov 2013 18:30:56 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=310181) Wishes can come true We all have dreams and goals but real wisdom is knowing when to push and when to go with the flow. When unfortunate timing crushed my chances of a scheduled one-on-one interview with Grumpy Cat before the recent Friskies Awards, I channeled my inner Grumpy …

We all have dreams and goals but real wisdom is knowing when to push and when to go with the flow. When unfortunate timing crushed my chances of a scheduled one-on-one interview with Grumpy Cat before the recent Friskies Awards, I channeled my inner Grumpy Cat and asked: What would Grumpy Cat do? Sure, she might appear miffed or frownie-faced but she wouldn’t pull a hissy fit or feel sorry for herself. She’s might say, what is, is or go with the flow. She has no ego. She doesn’t care what people think of her. Grumpy Cat serenely endured endless photo ops with strangers and at the end of the evening, not only did she end up in my arms as I’d wished for, but her mom, Tabatha Bundesen snapped photos of me with Grumpy Cat after the crowds had gone.

Sometimes wishes come true but not in the way we expect. By surrendering to the flow of what is, we may get more than our original wish.

Grumpy Cat has a lot to teach

2) The grass or catnip isn’t greener on the other side

Grumpy Cat won a Lifetime Achievement Awards at The Friskies. Plus the feline uber-achiever inked a big endorsement deal as the spokescat for Friskies, has a New York Times best-selling book, a feature film deal, launched Grumpuccino, a coffee drink and countless T-shirts, plush toys and other branded Grumpy Cat merchandise. All within a year. It’s enough to make the rest of us look like couch potato losers. Why waste time and energy being resentful, angry or jealous? The grass or catnip isn’t greener on the other side. It’s okay to dream big but it dreams must be rooted in reality. By accepting our limitations and deciding to be happy anyway, who knows what unexpected rewards are waiting to be reaped?

3) Our Body Knows Best

Our bodies are constantly communicating valuable info, if we listen. By listening, we naturally tune into our body clock. There are early birds and night owls and it turns out both Grumpy Cat and I are night owls. She is famous for being dozy during the day even during media appearances but perks up at night demanding attention and play between 3 and 6 am. She and those around her respect her natural rhythms. Mornings are my grumpiest and instead of forcing nature, I schedule creative work later in the day and evening. While most may not have as flexible a schedule as mine, we don’t need to be slaves to an alarm clock. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. Identify when you are the most productive, creative or energetic and make the most of those hours. Don’t feel guilty about taking a nap during the day instead of a coffee break if that’s what your body needs. Listen to your body. Grumpy Cat sleeps when she’s sleepy and plays when she’s perky. There’s wisdom in respecting your natural rhythms whether human or feline.

4) We Aren’t Perfect but purrfectly unique

The classic idiom: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree or that kids turn out like their parents’ isn’t always true. In fact, thinking we’re destined to turn out like our parents can be self-defeating or limiting. Grumpy Cat and her brother Pokey were born to a perfectly normal and lovely Calico mom named Callie. Their father, likely a feral, is an unknown influence. While Grumpy Cat had normal parents she was born with genetic issues including dwarfism. Grumpy Cat doesn’t lament that her legs are too short or that she looks funny. The apple fell far from the tree and it’s the best thing that could have happened to her. We are not our parents. We are all unique. By recognizing we are individuals with a separate destiny from our parents frees us to be ourselves. We Aren’t Perfect but purrfectly unique

5) Don’t Worry, be Happy

Grumpy Cat is famous for saying no. Despite her deceptive perma-frown, she’s isn’t worried, she’s happy-go-lucky. By making people smile and sharing it with others makes everyone happy. She knows life isn’t about pleasing everyone. She doesn’t worry what people think of her. It’s impossible to please everyone and people –pleasers are some of the unhappiest people on the planet. When you feel over-burdened and put upon, don’t feel guilty by saying no. It means saying yes to honoring your limits.

Grumpy Cat, like all cats knows how to live in the moment– it’s where happiness lives. Happiness isn’t about being perfect; it’s about accepting imperfection and making the choice to be happy. It’s an every day moment-by-moment choice. Life is too short. She’d say: Don’t worry, be happy.

Layla Morgan Wilde is the writer, photographer and holistic cat behaviorist behind Cat Wisdom 101. Head over to read more about her cats and their lives.

]]>Mario, my Chunky Monkey bunnyhttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/09/mario-my-chunky-monkey-bunny/
Mon, 16 Sep 2013 15:35:38 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=27011Mario has slowed down a little over the nine years we’ve spent together. However I have plenty of great tales to tell of his energetic exploits when he was younger. My nickname for Mario used to be, “Chunky Monkey.” He would often eat things first and think later. One night …

]]>Mario has slowed down a little over the nine years we’ve spent together. However I have plenty of great tales to tell of his energetic exploits when he was younger. My nickname for Mario used to be, “Chunky Monkey.” He would often eat things first and think later.

A common sight in the Chunky Monkey days.

One night in the early years I had salad as part of my dinner. I didn’t eat it all and I threw away some lettuce leaves into the waste basket. Mario sniffed them out right away and kept standing up with his front paws on the top of the waste basket to try to see what sending out all of those tantalizing scents.

I kept pushing him down and he eventually hopped away. I figured he had lost interest so I went to sit down. A moment later I happened to look back towards the trash can. Mario got a running head start and without any hesitation leaped right into it! I was horrified and ran over to fish him out. He was vertical, face down, happily munching on lettuce leaves. I took him out and didn’t get a photo that night.

A few nights later I was watching television and heard a huge crash. I turned around and saw Mario standing in the trash can. He must have been very disappointed there weren’t any yummy treats inside this time. Since he wasn’t face down this time, I fished out the camera and snapped a photo.

Now how do I get out?

This rabbit would do anything for food.

Sandra lives in San Francisco with her husband and Mario. To get more Mario tales, visit her blog at RoadBunner. Sometimes rabbits and sometimes running but over there Mondays are always for Mario.

]]>Rabbits are the best snoozershttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/09/rabbits-are-the-best-snoozers/
Wed, 04 Sep 2013 11:30:20 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=28542If Mario had to apply for a job somewhere, he is most fit for the position of “Professional Napper.” This rabbit sleeps the majority of the day. Rabbits are crepuscular which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. Mario has skewed his schedule a bit to be most …

]]>If Mario had to apply for a job somewhere, he is most fit for the position of “Professional Napper.” This rabbit sleeps the majority of the day. Rabbits are crepuscular which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. Mario has skewed his schedule a bit to be most active in the morning when I first get up and again in the evening when he gets his nightly romp around our home.

Mario napping in the living room

I compiled a few of my favorite photos of Mario sleeping through the years. When he was younger, I would try to snap a shot of him sleeping and just looking at him too hard would startle him awake. In his more advanced years I can pet him while he is sleeping and he will hardly stir.

This rabbit is totally out

I love how he’s holding out his front paw.

Mario’s typical napping position

Up close and personal with the ‘stache

Sandra lives in San Francisco with her husband and Mario. To get more Mario tales, visit her blog at RoadBunner. Sometimes rabbits and sometimes running but over there Mondays are always for Mario.

]]>Fun photos and unusual pets – brought to you by Petfinder members!https://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/07/fun-photos-and-unusual-pets-brought-to-you-by-petfinder-members/
Tue, 16 Jul 2013 16:30:34 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=27384Many people come to Petfinder every day to find the perfect dog or cat for their family. But what about coming here for the perfect hamster, turtle, frog or even cow? People are usually surprised when I inform them that they can search for animals such as hermit crabs and …

]]>Many people come to Petfinder every day to find the perfect dog or cat for their family. But what about coming here for the perfect hamster, turtle, frog or even cow?

Timberlake the frog is looking for a forever home in the Rockville, MD area. He is available through the Montgomery County Humane Society.

People are usually surprised when I inform them that they can search for animals such as hermit crabs and even goldfish on Petfinder. Our members don’t discriminate – if it needs a home, they are willing to stand up and help! Midgard Serpents Reptile Rescue in Cameron, NC did just that when Kitty the Catfish needed a new home, and a safe place to stay in the meantime.

Do you have a pond or very large tank with space to adopt this Channel Catfish? Kitty the Catfish is looking for a permanent home!

Some of the pets aren’t that surprising to find, such a adoptable rabbits. But that doesn’t mean the pictures have to be boring! There are almost 5,000 adoptable rabbits available for adoption on Petfinder as I write this. Sometimes an interesting picture is what it takes to make that one stick out from the others. As you can see in the photos below, Red Door Animal Shelter did a great job of making Kringle stick out from the others, as did K&R Small Animal Sanctuary with their adoptable bunny Colada.

Kringle the bunny is currently available for adoption from the Red Door Animal Shelter.

Colada the bunny is currently available for adoption, and looks great with this striking blue background!

Having these cute ADOPT blocks helps Maxie stick out a little bit more among the many other adoptable Guinea Pigs.

Looking for something a little more unusual? Check out Skunk Haven’s adoptable pet list. Or, if you’re looking for something a little less, er, fluffy – you can visit The Hedgehog Welfare Society‘s site. You can find so many different pets by searching Petfinder. If you aren’t quite sure what you are looking for, you can click on one of the sections in this link for a list of all options currently available on Petfinder. Before I go, I have to take a moment to show one of those cows I spoke of in the first paragraph. Meet Norman, available from Hillcrest Animal Rescue in McKinney, TX. Enjoy!

Norman the cow is looking for a nice home. Do you have the space for Norman?

]]>Travel Tips For Flying With Catshttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/05/flying-without-fur-flying/
Tue, 28 May 2013 18:30:18 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=25263Thirty years ago I learned a valuable lesson flying from Montreal to Toronto, Canada with two cats. On a bitterly cold December morning in 1980, my parents dropped me off at the airport with my two cats snuggled on a blanket in their cozy wicker carrier. I was excited about …

]]>Thirty years ago I learned a valuable lesson flying from Montreal to Toronto, Canada with two cats.

On a bitterly cold December morning in 1980, my parents dropped me off at the airport with my two cats snuggled on a blanket in their cozy wicker carrier. I was excited about moving to Toronto and I envisioned a pleasant flight with my cats lounging on my lap with all of us enjoying the view (as in this image).

My fantasy flight deflated when I was told the carrier was too big for the cabin and my cats had to fly in cargo, in a crate. “But it’s 20 below zero and I don’t have a crate and my flight’s leaving in twenty minutes”, I wailed. This was before cell phones, the Internet or the wisdom of experience. A surly attendant shoved an unassembled crate for me to assemble on the airport floor while my cats sang a mournful opera. The scene was straight out of comedy skit but the joke, it turned out, was on me.

My heart sank when I moved Mergatroyde and Lulu into their cold steel prison. I wasn’t even allowed to place their blanket inside the bare crate. I’ll never forget the abject terror in my cats’ eyes. It was the first time I’d seen that kind of fear with fully dilated pupils and my intuition screamed this is so wrong!

I’d fallen in love with cats with my first kitten, Tiger, at age three and felt an immediate ability to think like a cat and respect their nature. The nail-biting flight from hell lasted over an hour but felt like an eternity. Once we landed, I ran to the baggage carousel and waited for my precious cargo. You’d think they would have treated live animals better than luggage but they didn’t. Long after everyone had picked up their luggage I kept my tear-filled eyes glued on the baggage ramp. Finally the metal torture chamber slid down the ramp, with my shivering cats mute from shock. The only visible evidence of their ordeal was a puddle of urine on the cold metal floor. The airline never returned my beautiful wicker carrier.

It’s hard to say who was more traumatized but I didn’t fly again with pets until twenty years later when I moved to New York a few weeks before 9/11. I vowed to never inflict unnecessary stress on any cat ever again. On the second flight with cats I left nothing to chance or thought I had. I bought another passenger seat to comply with the one cat per passenger rule and double-checked the measurements of the carriers, but realized to my horror, once on board, the hard-sided carriers didn’t fit under the seats. Luckily the kind flight attendant overlooked the discrepancy and Merlin and Coco serenaded the other passengers with non-stop Siamese singing. It wasn’t as relaxing as this image suggests. Tip: offer to buy irate passengers drinks.

When we know better, we do better. The following is what I wish I’d known 30 years ago.

Pet Air Travel Tips

Travel is stressful on humans and pets. Being prepared in advance lessens stress. Prepping 30 days in advance is ideal.

Assess risk before considering flying with a vet visit. Pets that are ill, injured, pregnant, elderly or very young are at greater risk. Snub-nosed dogs like pugs or cats like Persian and Himalayans are restricted from flying in cargo. You will need to visit a vet anyway to obtain health and rabies vaccine certificates.

Do your homework. All airlines have individual policies regarding air travel. Check this airline index of pet policies. Please call the airline at the time of booking and inquire of any updated policies. Book a direct flight if possible.

Double-check pet carrier size regulations. Be sure the pet is able to stand up and turn around. My preference is for a soft-sided carrier with air vents/ mesh windows on top and sides. Purchase the carrier in advance and allow the pet to explore it leisure with the door(s) open. Place a familiar smelling item i.e. a small catnip toy, a t-shirt smelling of the pet parent inside the carrier. Place a small pee pad on the floor. Spray Feliway or another “feel good” synthetic pheromone inside carrier. Prior to the flight spray again. Attach your pet’s name, your cell phone #, destination address and small photo of the pet on the carrier. Stick a “Live Animals” stickers on the carrier. Check that all zippers, door hinges and locking mechanism are functioning.

Vets usually don’t advise medicating pets but homeopathic remedies or flower essences like Rescue Remedy are safe and work for both humans and pets. Reiki, the subtle energy healing modality I practice works well and is calming for humans and pets even from a distance.

Attach a collar with ID even if the pet is micro-chipped. IDs with a QR code like those from FurCodes can be scanned with a smart phone. It’s advised that pets who don’t normally wear a collar or ID do so. Pets regularly escape from carriers enroute.

Keep all travel documents/certificates handy including a photo of the pet. Fortunately most of us have tons of pet photos on our digital devices! Remember to pack any pet meds, wet wipes, brush and treats. Water bowls tip over so pack an eyedropper to squirt a little water in the side of you pet’s mouth if needed during the flight.

For travel inside the cabin, the general rule is one pet per airline seat. The pets must remain in their carrier and under the seat for the entire flight. I strongly recommend not flying pets in cargo unless there is no other option. Avoid flying during the hottest or coldest times of the year. Just because cargo is heated or air-conditioned, the tarmac is not.

Intuitive animal communication. This is worth a try even for those who don’t believe in telepathy. Whether you’re flying with the pet or not, communicate verbally or nonverbally with the pet before and during the flight. Begin with grounding yourself with slow deep breaths, visualizing a peaceful place, or by praying or meditating. Once calm and centered, connect with the pet by calling their name, if you can see their face, blink slowly until they slow blink back. If not visible, visualize their face (a photo helps); tell them you love them. Feel a love energy going directly from your heart to theirs. I like to imagine a big pink cloud surrounding them with love and peace. Imagine and relay images of them being in the carrier, moving through the airport, being on a noisy thing called an airplane. Tell them they will traveling X amount of hours, they will be safe and going to X (describe the destination). Promise treats, their favorite toys and whatever else they love. As travel progresses, give updates i.e. Hang on, we’re almost there. Keep your thoughts positive, calm and loving. Reassure them that everything will be okay and you will be together soon.

Any stress from you will be picked by the pet and add to theirs, so stay calm in order to fly the friendly skies without fur flying. Bon voyage!

Layla Morgan Wilde is the writer, photographer and holistic cat behaviorist behind Cat Wisdom 101. Head over to read more about her cats and their lives.

]]>I would hop 500 mileshttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/04/i-would-hop-500-miles/
Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:30:16 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=23606I was living in New York City when I first got Mario. When my husband and I moved to San Francisco six years ago, Mario had to come along, too. We took two weeks driving across the country. Half the car seemed to be filled with things that Mario needed …

]]>I was living in New York City when I first got Mario. When my husband and I moved to San Francisco six years ago, Mario had to come along, too. We took two weeks driving across the country. Half the car seemed to be filled with things that Mario needed for the journey.

We are ready to roll!

Rabbits can get stressed in cars, but Mario handled it fairly well. In the hotels, we usually kept Mario in the bathroom. He was housed in either a collapsable enclosure if there were enticing things to chew on within his reach or sometimes just loose in the bathroom with the door shut.

The first hotel in Virginia.

I would let Mario stretch his legs in the hotel room when we could supervise him. He was a trooper with his litter box and never had an accident in any of the hotels.

Hotel romp in South Dakota.

We had to time our traveling to not have him in the car for too long of a period. We also had to plan the sightseeing to be sure he was in a safe place while we were out and about. This was difficult when we were down in Arizona. The weather was warm and we were in between hotels so couldn’t leave him somewhere indoors. So Mario got into his carrier and joined us as we viewed the Grand Canyon.

]]>This Oscar purse was the next best thinghttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/02/this-oscar-purse-wasthe-next-best-thing/
Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:35:30 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=20204The red carpet was definitely star-studded on the evening of Sunday, February 24th as this year’s Oscar nominees made their way into the theater. Grasping the attention of many, however, was this year’s smallest nominee! Quvenzhané Wallis, the youngest Best Actress nominee in Oscar history, walked the red carpet with …

]]>The red carpet was definitely star-studded on the evening of Sunday, February 24th as this year’s Oscar nominees made their way into the theater. Grasping the attention of many, however, was this year’s smallest nominee! Quvenzhané Wallis, the youngest Best Actress nominee in Oscar history, walked the red carpet with her signature puppy purse swinging from her arm!

Quvenzhané, accompanied by her mother and sister, spoke to Ryan Seacrest about her puppy purse. What better accessory to sport at such an event than a unique purse like Quvenzhané’s? Named after her beloved puppy at home, the puppy purse adds a unique touch to little Quvenzhané’s elegant red carpet appearance.

Maybe you can’t take your pet everywhere — at least not onto the red carpet — but having an accessory that looks like your adorable pup or cat is not such a bad alternative! Quvenzhané may be starting a new trend!

Check out her interview with Ryan Seacrest to hear what Quvenzhané has to say!

]]>Petfinder improves worker productivity!https://www.petfinder.com/blog/2013/02/petfinder-improves-worker-productivity/
Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:01:12 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/?p=19830Do you want to improve your performance at work? Do you manage a group of employees who you would like to make more productive? Do you need a research-backed excuse as to why you are surfing Petfinder during work hours? If your answer is yes to any of the questions …

A new study out of Japan demonstrates how viewing pictures of cute pets (on Petfinder of course) can improve worker productivity. Researchers at Hiroshima University (cognitive psychologists no less) studied the impact of viewing cute photos of baby animals on a test group of 48 college students and found that it served as a productivity booster compared to a control group on a variety of tasks. The researches conclude that, “This study shows that viewing cute things improves subsequent performance in tasks that require behavioral carefulness, possibly by narrowing the breadth of attentional focus.”

So, if you are due for an annual review soon you may want to start looking at photos of cute guys like Otto the Chinchilla.

Or if you are managing a team of employees working on a big, important project then by all means require them to look at adorable pets like MJ the kitten.

And if your boss walks in while your are actively surfing Petfinder then let him or her know you are striving to become “employee of the month” by taking full advantage of the latest scientific research that demonstrates viewing photos of cute animals boosts productivity.

]]>Seth Casteel’s camera helps save liveshttps://www.petfinder.com/blog/2012/12/seth-casteels-camera-helps-save-lives/
Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:30:22 +0000https://www.petfinder.com/blog/?p=5448If you haven’t seen the images by photographer Seth Casteel, you are missing out. Seth began photographing shelter animals in 2007. We know that pets with pictures listed on Petfinder get looked at 20 times more than pets without. What sometimes gets neglected, is that the quality of the image …

]]>If you haven’t seen the images by photographer Seth Casteel, you are missing out.

Seth began photographing shelter animals in 2007. We know that pets with pictures listed on Petfinder get looked at 20 times more than pets without. What sometimes gets neglected, is that the quality of the image is just as important. Seth made it his mission to not only have pictures of pets listed while they’re looking for homes, but to really show the features and personality of an animal through his lens. He has some amazing before and after pictures here.

Seth’s hard work and dedication to animals has paid off and lead to great success. Flash forward to 2012 and he has a New York Times Bestselling book called Underwater Dogs. If you’re looking for a gift for an animal lover in your life (including yourself), I highly recommend buying this wonderful book from an author so passionate about saving animals.

Seth also offers workshops to shelters around the country to teach them how to improve their pictures. I had the pleasure of seeing Seth speak at the 2012 No More Homeless Pets Conference, and I can tell you that his energy while presenting is contagious.

Seth uses his passion for photography and saving animals to really make a difference. I encourage you to follow your passion to help create positive change as well. If we all work together, I know we can make a difference!